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Reedsburg puts brakes on tent sites for bicyclists
A pitch to allow pitching tents in Reedsburg collapsed recently under a shower of paranoia, but the effort will be revived at a different site, city officials promise. Reedsburg will attempt to set aside space in a public park to accommodate a few of the more than 40,000 bicyclists who annually pedal the 400 State Trail between Reedsburg and Elroy. They will not roll out the welcome mat in Webb Park, however. The popular, easy-rolling bicycle trail skirts or travels through Elroy, Union Center, Wonewoc, LaValle and Reedsburg, and provides wondrous vistas of Wisconsin hill, dale and riverside. What it doesn't provide in Reedsburg - considered a starting or ending spot on the trail - is a place for a bicyclist to put up a tent for the night. .
New Campground Proposed
A new $5 million resort park is being built north of Pelahatchie. It's just west of Highway 43 at Pelahatchie Lake. The new campground is being built on a 200 acre site. There will be 150 recreational vehicle camping pads, with full utilities, 25 tent sites and 10 cabins to start. This used to be a county park with only 12 rv sites, but it has been sold and leased to a Houston, Texas, company that has Yogi Bear Jellystone Campgrounds and Resorts all over the country. City water and sewer is being installed for the new campground. About 60 people are now working to get the campgound ready for opening later this year. Pelahatchie mayor Knox Ross was instrumental in causing the new park to be built and believes it will be a big hit. I asked him, "Did you have to entice them here or what?"
He said, "No, they found us.
No stakes nearly drives ATHENA Awards from Centennial
A policy that went into effect more than a year ago and places an all-out ban on driving tent stakes in the Centennial Park lawn nearly drove the ATHENA Awards from its annual site.
The emphasis here is on the word “nearly." The March 29 event honors the achievements of professional women in Nashville, and since 1991 has been held under a large white tent in the shadow of the Parthenon — home to the landmark statue of its namesake.
Last January, letters were sent to organizers and tent providers who are regulars in the park, stating: “Effective Jan. 1, 2006, the Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation no longer permits events that require stakes to be driven into the ground or tents that require stakes to support them in any area of Centennial Park."
And last year's event went on with the tent after a “grace period" was given to organizers that has already reserved the space and traditionally used tent stakes.
Survivor Scout Didn't Want To Be Camping
Fellow Boy Scout Griffin Prufer said Michael Auberry had told his tent mate before wandering off that he didn't want to go on camping trips anymore. He told NBC's "Today" show that other campers thought the missing boy had just gone to clean his mess kit. But when he didn't return, Griffin said he heard his dad yelling Michael's name and blowing whistles. A search dog named Gandalf caught Michael's scent Tuesday, less than a mile from the Scout troop's campsite. The dog's trainer, Misha Marshall, said the boy was tired, hungry and dehydrated but calm. .
Left-wing MKs talk with Palestinians at occupied Hebron buildings
MKs Dov Khenin (Hadash) and Avshalom Vilan (Meretz) visited on Sunday the Hebron building occupied by settlers and talked with Palestinians claiming the premises belonged to them.
Peace Now activists held a demonstration nearby, protesting the settlers' weeklong occupation of the site. In addition, a group of Palestinians have set up a tent camp near the building in protest.
IDF and police forces had tried to prevent the protesters and the MKs among them from approaching the area. The authorities had threatened to declare the area a closed military zone before finally allowing the visit.
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